Sports betting has never been more accessible, but it’s important to know how to bet safely. With so many different bet types, it’s easy to get confused. Here are a few tips to help you bet smarter and safer.
Don’t Bet on Your Favorite Team
Betting on your favorite team can be tempting, but it can also lead to disaster if you aren’t careful. While it’s okay to bet on your team if you can control yourself and remove your bias, betting solely on your favorite team is a surefire way to lose money.
One of the most important things to remember when betting on totals is that it’s “never Over until it’s Over.” This means that a game can still be a push even if the teams score more than the number set by the oddsmakers. In fact, a team that scores more than the amount required to beat a spread will almost always win the bet (unless you bet on an Over/Under where the total is already set).
The best way to avoid this type of mistake is to keep a spreadsheet of all your past bets. This will let you see how often your bets hit and miss, and will also give you an idea of how much variance there is in the results. This will allow you to make more informed bets in the future, and will help prevent you from making the same mistakes again.
Don’t Follow the Public
Another key tip when betting on sports is to ignore what the public thinks. Popular teams and players have a tendency to be overvalued by the public, which can lead to big losses. This is because the public tends to bet on highly-publicized events and superstar athletes, which are largely based on previous success rather than current form.
Bet on the Underdog
If you want to bet on a team, you can choose between a straight bet or a spread bet. The latter involves a certain number of points being given away or taken from the favorite in order to level the playing field. This is why the favorite will have a minus sign in front of their odds, and the underdog will have a plus sign.
You can also bet on futures, which are wagers that will be decided at a later date. These bets are usually placed months in advance, and you’ll have to wait until the event has finished before you can receive your winnings. If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to bet on sports, futures are a great option. However, it’s important to remember that futures bets can have long horizons, and the payouts are generally lower than those on a standard wager. Nevertheless, they can be fun and profitable to place if done correctly.
